Modern Muscle Cars

Even from the first day that Ford showed the way with the first “muscle car” in 1964 in the form of the Mustang, America has been in love.

Almost everyone has a favorite classic muscle car. Yours might be the 1964 Dodge Dart 426 Max Wedge 426 Hemi, 1969 Mercury Cyclone, 1968 Plymouth GTX, 1969 Dodge Coronet 426-S, 1971 AMC Rebel or the Australian 1976 XB Falcon.

With the well known power and performance that these cars offered, the Ford Mustang became the top selling car for many of the years during its “performance era.” Times are different, though, and there are many factors that would seem to hinder the muscle car’s popularity. High fuel prices and strict Federal regulations would seem to be a force to a thumbs down on all that horsepower. But these horses can’t be corralled and the muscle car remains a steady seller, especially to the new generation. And for them, there is a new generation of muscle cars hitting the dealer lots.

Cadillac CTS-V

This high performance Cadillac makes an impressive introduction to the muscle car ring. While Cadillac may not exactly historically call for performance, the CTS-V delivers with power, a roomy interior and great handling. Sporting surprising 400 horses of power with a 6.0 liter V8, this baby sits you in a stylish car with a lower price tag and great performance.

Pontiac GTO

GM after too many years brought back the “Goat”, much to the delight of muscle car enthusiasts. One of the original muscle cars, the GTO was introduced in 1964 and ran through the 1974 production year. GM wanted to keep the awesome performance of the GTO without making you own your own bank. With a 6.0 liter LS2 V8 under the hood offering 400 horses, the new breed of GTO ran from 2004 to 2006. But, this is one car that can’t be held down and will be sure to emerge again in the future.

Infiniti G35

Typical of the new breed muscle cars, the Infinity G35 offers sleek styling, great performance and top notch handling. Sporting a powerful 3.5 liter V6, 306 horses strong, you get the old school muscle car style combined with the newer, technological pluses of the 21st century. With this car, performance is its strong suit. It offers great handling and a very satisfying, “the power and the glory” look and feel.

Lexus IS 350

Another high end sleek addition, the Lexus IS 350 offers a powerful V6 with 306 horsepower. Its advanced safety technology give it an edge over some of the other muscle cars at the dealers. While you correctly equate the Lexus name with luxury, the IS 350 shines with top performance as well.

Ford Mustang

You can’t say muscle car without at least mentioning the Ford Mustang. The grand daddy muscle car, this pony has seen some significant changes over the past thirty years. The latest Mustang, though, still will impress you with a wicked performance V8 version with 300 horses galloping under the hood in the GT version. The retro styling will take the old timers back and inspire new enthusiasts just discovering this classic to a new love.

There are many other muscle cars that could fit on this list and make a good showing against their high performance cousins. It is worth your while to test drive a few of the new breed of muscle cars and find the performance package that speaks to you. Styling, power and performance make a muscle car, but you need one in your garage to really appreciate it.